Covenants are important matters, contained in the property’s title, that affect the land and can be either positive or restrictive. 

They can be found within the Official Copy of the Register of Title. The Official Copies may contain a schedule which will outline the covenants for your solicitors in Lancaster Lancashire to study. The Official Copies may also refer to specific documents which contain covenants. Your solicitors in Lancaster would then request copies of such documents to gain clarity on what the covenants are and what they mean for their client. 

When you purchase a property with someone else it is called “co-ownership” and all cases of co-ownership tend to give rise to a trust of land. 

 

With any form of co-ownership all of the legal co-owners must join in any future disposition of the property. If there was a dispute which when to court, for example, then the Court may make whatever order it sees fit but the Courts will generally take into account why the property was bought. 

The issue may not be quite as bleak as first it sounds. Leaving aside the messy issue of Brexit; one of this current Government’s main commitments is to build new affordable housing. And build they are! We are currently living in new build BOOM! (Just thought I’d put some capitals in to distract from that terrifying figure I mentioned before!). 

 

Many who are part of “Generation Rent” believe that they may never be able to afford their own home as month after month they pay a huge proportion of their rent to Landlord’s each month. This is a far cry from the previous generation when it seemed that every man, woman, dog and cat…. you get the gist…. owned their own home! 

Many people want to change their name. Whether it’s changing your first name because yours just isn’t keeping with the times (we all have doubts at times whether our name suits us - or is that just us?), or changing your last name, or even adding in a middle name, Solicitors in Lancaster, MG Legal, are on-hand to help you draft the required Deed of Change of Name. Whilst this is something that some people may want to draft themselves, it is always a good idea to consult Solicitors in Lancaster to ensure that this is done correctly, otherwise you could find yourself unable to use the document when you most need it! 

The horrific tragedy of Grenfell Tower has brought to light many safety concerns for people living in flats or high-rise buildings. One of the buzz words associated with Grenfell Tower is ‘cladding’. In particular; “what the position is of Leaseholders who live in properties with unsafe cladding” is a question many Property Lawyers are asking. MG Legal, your solicitors Lancaster, have researched the matter and our findings are as follows: 

 

On the 16th of May 2018 Theresa May pledged £400 million to replace unsafe cladding following the June disaster. However; in the September update to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s Building Safety Programme, which monitors the number of buildings with ACM cladding and the progress of work to remove it, it was revealed that only two out of 205 private residential blocks containing combustible ACM cladding have had it completely removed since the Grenfell fire last June. 

MG Legal, your property solicitors Preston are on hand to advise you on any queries you may have, inclusive of advice on your rights as an occupier of a property. It is, firstly, important to establish whether you have a Lease or a Licence, as the rights you have under each can vary massively. 

Although, as your property solicitors Preston will advise, there is a duty on the seller to disclose any relevant information about a property they are selling - the general rule is known as ‘Caveat Emptor’. Essentially, this means let the ‘buyer beware’, and stipulates that the buyer should make the necessary investigations prior to Exchanging Contracts when buying a property. 

 

This brings us to the responsibilities of your conveyancing solicitors Preston who are on hand to ensure the integrity of, and make the necessary enquiries about the property being purchased. 

At MG Legal, we understand that the term ‘First Registration’ may mean nothing to you. However, if you are purchasing a property that is currently unregistered at the Land Registry, your solicitors in Lancaster will be required to carry out this process on your behalf. 

Recent changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax system have produced massive benefits to first time buyers, with a total exemption of paying any SDLT on properties under £300,000.00 (See our ‘First Time Buyers – A Helping Hand’ blog for more information). Taking a different view, there are now questions as to the effects on those purchasing second properties, and many are questioning there is a need for review. 

Many people purchase second properties as an investment opportunity to be used as buy-to-lets, with others purchasing additional property for holiday home purposes and leisure. Records indicate that since the year 2000 the number of people purchasing more than one additional property has increased by 30%.  

 

But is this enough for our economy, and what are the effects?